Round Top Loops

On Monday, April 3rd I wanted to get out to hike but had a few things to take care of in the morning. I had expected a more sunny day but by 11:30 AM the temperature had risen to almost 50 degrees and the sun was just peeking through. I asked Cindy if she wanted to go across the greet to hike on Round Top and she agreed. Sheila was ready to go as soon as I mentioned the word “hike”. I dressed without a baselayer but did take a light hat and a light pair of gloves. I wore my Mammut hoody with the pit sips open to allow some airflow. We headed out a little after 11:30 AM with Sheila on her leash to cross the street. The only snow was in the snow banks around the church parking lot. I had decided not to bring my pack as I did not intend to take pictures as the day was overcast and dreary. We walked around the back of the church and started up the hill. The hill is short but steep but we made good time as there was no snow or ice. Sheila did a great job of pulling me up they’ll with little effort. We turned left into the woods at the trailhead and walked along the woods road which was completely devoid of snow. At the first trail junction, we turned right to walk up the more gentle slope in the lower loop. There was very little snow on the woods road until we got to the turn up the hill where we encountered remnants of the 30 inches we had gotten in the last storm. When we got to the sharp left turn, we continued straight ahead on the new upper trail that I had laid out. The trail is only flagged with green tape but the path is pretty clear. The trail is a rather direct route to the top of the hill and follows an equally direct route down the other side. The final trail when constructed may contain some switchbacks to help mediate the steepness. We walked up to the summit of Round Top where there was still some snow and then started down the other side still following the bright green ribbons. This side of the hill faces north so there was still some snow. We were soon back at the yellow-blazed lower trail where we turned right to head toward the viewpoint from the ledges facing town. When we arrived at the ledges, we took a quick look from the upper part of the lookout. The sky was overcast so we continued on the main trail down the hill to complete the loop at the first trail junction.

At this point, Cindy decided to return home and I decided to do the loop in the opposite direction. Sheila and I turned around and hiked back up the steep hill to the lookout. We didn’t stop and continued on around the loop at a quickened pace. As the main lower trail turned right, we walked straight ahead and up the hill toward the summit following the bright green ribbons again. Hiking up was a bigger challenge than coming down as the trail was a little wet and slippery but we soon reached the top and started back down. When we arrived at the main trail, we turned left and then right to follow the trail back down to the first trail junction. I still felt fresh and Sheila was certainly willing to hike some more so we turned around and hiked back up the woods road on the gentle slope. At the left turn we stayed on the main lower trail which is marked with yellow blazes as my intention was to hike the smaller lower loop. We followed the trail as it hugs the base of Round Top and turned left to head back toward the lookouts. We passed by the viewpoint and headed down the steeper trail back to the first trail junction. When we arrived, we turned around again and hiked back up the steep trail to the lookouts and continued to follow the lower trail as it turned right. The trail is continuously uphill but at a shallow grade. We followed the trail as it ruined right and flattened out as it stayed on a woods road at the base of Round Top. Soon the trail made a sharp right turn and we followed it down to the woods road and back out to the first trail junction. We turned left and continued out to the trailhead at the top of the cemetery hill. Here we turned right and walked down the hill and across the field by the church. We crossed the street and walked down our driveway to return home. It was 1:00 PM and we had hiked about 3 miles in a little under an hour and a half.